This weekend tributes mount for james gandolfini, the story of a friendship we hadn't heard a watch maker from america who raced to rome after learning of the actor's death, he and gandolfini were friends for years ever since a phone call. Alex is in rome for us tonight. Alex. Reporter: Good evening, david. One of the reasons james gandolfini was here in italy, he was supposed to receive an award at a film festival. Tonight his close friend tells us they are working through the red tape to get him home so they can lay him to rest next week. Michael kobold is an american watch maker who became close friends with gandolfini when the sopranos star called him to buy a watch. He rushed to rome when he heard the tragic news. What made him so loveable as a human being, he was so self deprecating. He didn't see himself as a huge actor, very, very successful. Reporter: Gandolfini brought his 13-year-old son michael, who just graduated from junior high. Jim was a really happy guy. Especially because he had just had a baby daughter eight months ago, he and his wife. He was extremely happy. And he was healthy. There was nothing wrong with him. So this came as a total surprise and a shock. Reporter: The autopsy revealed gandolfini died of a heart attack due to natural causes. You have known james a long time. What were your lasting memories be? A really happy guy, who sometimes could be the funniest man in the world. He should have been a comedian. Reporter: Michael kobold told us gandolfini's generosity was endless, if he heard somebody on the radio who was in need, a complete stranger, that he would try to figure out how he could help.

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